Bill LaForge

Bill LaForge (September 2, 1951 – June 19, 2005) was a Canadian ice hockey head coach.

LaForge briefly coached the Vancouver Canucks in National Hockey League, but enjoyed more success in junior ice hockey with Western Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League teams.

LaForge was known for his controversial coaching style, intimidation tactics, on-ice brawls, suspensions and fines.

Teams he coached were known for physical play, and high scoring.

Notable players coached by LaForge in junior ice hockey include; Shayne Corson, Keith Primeau, Dean Evason, Gary Leeman, Tony Tanti, Brad May, Ken Daneyko, Doug Bodger, Garth Butcher, and Rob Brown.

He later played for the Edmonton Huskies, and attended training camp for the Calgary Stampeders in 1974, but did not pass the physical due to an injury sustained working at a construction site.

LaForge began coaching hockey as the recreational director of the Enoch Cree Nation.

LaForge used his football background in teaching his teams to be a physical club, and stressed team first, instead of the name on the back of the jersey.

LaForge's coaching mantra was a PhD in hockey: pride, hustle and desire.

"One thing I will be teaching is how to hit. We'll use football hitting and tackling dummies. P-H-D will bring success. You have to have "pride" in yourself and your team. "Hustle" for yourself and your team, and you have to have "desire" for yourself and your team."

- Bill LaForge

He used unorthodox coaching methods, punishing emphasis on physical play, and humiliating practices.

LaForge used intimidation tactics such as staring down opposing teams during warm-ups, and had a stoplight installed in his team's dressing room in Hamilton.

The stoplight was red between periods meaning, players were not allowed to fight, but once it turned green at the start of a period, players could fight.

He was also a caring person.

LaForge once legally adopted a player to be his coach and mentor.

He insisted on players attending school, and keeping an active mind.

"Bill had this rough and gruff image, but he was actually very kind at heart. He was good to our family. Every time I ran into him he’d ask about my wife and kids."

- Doug Lidster

LaForge began his major junior coaching career with the Oshawa Generals in the 1980–81 OHL season.

LaForge took over a young team, without many expectations.

Oshawa lost their first game 0–6 to Windsor, but established a pattern of physical play with five fights and two brawls in the match, to start the season.

By the end of the season, Oshawa led the league with 3198 penalty minutes, averaging of 47 minutes per game, compared to the second most penalized team in the league had only 2092 penalty minutes.

LaForge led the Generals to fourth place in the Leyden division, and a playoff berth.

Oshawa faced the Peterborough Petes in a best-of-five preliminary round of the in the playoffs.

The series was highly anticipated considering the historic rivalry between the teams, and Peterborough winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup each of the three previous seasons.

The teams split the first four games, each winning twice on home ice.

During the pregame skate before game five, a brawl ensued between the two teams, including a physical altercation between LaForge and Peterborough coach Dave Dryden.

Order had to be restored by local policemen, as the referee and linesmen were not on the ice at the time.

LaForge later received a 50-game suspension.

When the game was finally completed, Oshawa won by a 6–2 score.

LaForge led the Generals into the best-of-seven quarterfinals against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, losing the series in six games.

LaForge resigned following the season.

LaForge died June 19, 2005, after an apparent heart attack.

LaForge was related to Patrick LaForge, the former president of the Edmonton Oilers.

Depending on the source, they were either brothers, or cousins.

Through his relation to Patrick LaForge, he was also a distant cousin of Pierre Boivin, former president of the Montreal Canadiens.

LaForge was married to Penny, and had four children.

His son Bil LaForge Jr. became a team executive in junior ice hockey and is currently the general manager for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League.

LaForge played hockey and football at Archbishop MacDonald High School.